


The Exiled Prince and a Summer King's War

by LouisDabout



Series: A Realm in the West [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-18
Updated: 2015-06-18
Packaged: 2018-04-05 00:07:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,663
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4158135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LouisDabout/pseuds/LouisDabout
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The death of Rhaegar means many things to the Empire, both for his family and for his domains. There is little chance for peace when there are two who may claim the crown, one must give it up and leave his home. But it is not a cruel fate for he is a Prince and a man of honor worthy for a crown no matter what.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Exiled Prince and a Summer King's War

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Conquest](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3636984) by [DolorousEdditor](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DolorousEdditor/pseuds/DolorousEdditor). 



  


  


**It was Valyrian steel and fire that conquered Essos, it was its mighty dragons that humbled the proud Ghiscari and its rule of Essos ended as its own homeland turned against it, erupting in fire and smoke. But there were yet Valyrians of noble lineage and Dragons to be rode, Aegon and his sisters conquerors of what was lost. For near Three Hundred Years it has stood the test of blood and fire overseen by its Targaryen Emperors, now a Prince sets off west to save his brother and the Empire. An Exile in a strange land of knights and lords.**   


There can be no doubt that Kings have died for less, for crowns and castles. At least Rhaegar died in battle for his children and his wives victorious at the last, but that was small comfort when his death threatened to topple the Valyrian Empire from its high perch to the dust. Jon remembered watching as his father's body was laid to rest at last amongst his grandsires as he wondered what the future would bring. Already the Dothraki were beginning to advance upon the distant frontiers in the East and there were grumblings and stirrings in the Cities as all watched and waited for whom to call Emperor.  _For their child I'd see him rule till old age takes him, and for my love I'll see him live till the end of all things._ Jon blinked back tears which had come unbidden and watched as gulls cawed overhead and a stiff breeze filled the sails of the Cog.

With a long anguished groan he lent against the gunwale, clutching and pulling on it in a strange haze of anger and something he couldn't put a name to.  _What am I going to do, I couldn't remain it'd have only caused more trouble and at least I'm free._ With a jolt he realise what he felt was excitement, excitement for the unknown and the new.

_To Westeros, to the land of chivalry and seven gods._ The master of the ship had told him that they were but three days out from Oldtown four nights ago and now at last he could see the mouth of the Honeywine, the whitewashed walls of the Citadel, the grand looming Hightower and the slender turrets and domes of the Starry Sept. And before that a great stream of vessels that sought harbor.  _A brave new world shall I be up to the challenges?_ _  
_

  


____________

  


They galloped headlong through the woods following the sounds of battle ahead of them. Branches whipped and slapped Edmure as he rode as fast as he could through the tangled woods. About him his company of knights and men-at-arms closely followed, straining to come to grips at last with their foes. Suddenly the forest ended and they found themselves once again under the sun upon a broad plain through which a river wended its way. Up ahead was the charred remains of the Green septry and it's village. About it men fought and died, Ser Marq Tarly and his Warrior Son's surrounded in the Septry as raving Ironborn flung themselves through the gate at them. 

At the river bank lay ten drawn up longboats and a planted banner bearing a golden kraken on black.

"It's him! The Kraken himself!" Edmure yelled as he drew his sword, its keen edge glittering in the sun.

"There's more of them than us Edmure" cautioned Brynden as he rode up to his nephew. "We should split the men up, a company to burn the longboats and the other to help those Warrior Son's, we must be swift or they shall bury us with their bodies."

"Alright then, Uncle take twenty men with you to burn those longboats I'll take the rest and aim for the septry, we'll join the Warrior Son's then fight our way back out!"

"Be careful Edmure, your attack must not flounder or else you doom your company to death." Blackfish then moved away calling for men to join him and burn the boats before moving off with his twenty men.

Edmure watched his uncle ride away for a moment before turning back to his men, "Follow men! For glory and honor!"  _At last I shall prove my mettle._

Swiftly they raced across the flat fields and soon they were upon the Ironborn, roaring their warcrys as they rode down the surprised Ironborn who melted away under the lances and swords of the Rivermen. Edmure and his swornshields at the very point of the charge, cutting down Ironborn all around them. Many of the Ironborn fled to the river, to their ships to escape Edmure's charge, but as his company neared to the Septry and its beleaguered defenders the charge began to stall, choked by the narrowing streets of the village as they snaked their way to the Septry's gatehouse. The Ironborn began to rally as their captains turned the running men back to the fight. Edmure was lost to such matters the bloodlust on him as he hacked away at his foes everything but the immediate threat lost to him as he moved in a world of blood, his sword twisting its way through an Ironborn's neck. Still he and his men pressed on fighting like madmen, leaving behind a trail of dead and wounded in their wake till finally they won the gate to the Septry when suddenly the air was filled with the hiss of quarrels and Edmure's horse reared up, a quarrel deep in its neck as more joined it, sending Edmure crashing to the ground. 

Stunned by the fall he lay still as the sounds of the battle returned to him, screams, battle cries, and shouts the sound of steel cutting through unguarded flesh. He tried to stand, staggering to his feet as his head swam. A hand gripped his shoulder and turned him about to see Ser Marq Tarly before him his rainbow surcoat rent and his armor dented shouting at him, "Lord Tully we must break out of this town or we shall die, our horses are of no help here."

Edmure looked back to see that his men were now pressed from all sides as they gathered before the Septry's gate, the lines were holding but even he could see that they could not withstand the Ironborn forever. They were hard pressed, yet where was the Kraken and his guard?

"They're hiding Milord, they intend to let us fight till we're exhausted and then finish us off." Edmure hadn't realized that he had said that out loud. 

"Ser Tarly we must break out now then."

"My men are ready but only thirty of our number remain."

"They're more than enough" then grabbing his hunting horn that was slung on his saddle Edmure gave three loud blows to signal the men to reform about him, and then he led the tired men back out of the town, punching through the Ironborn as they retraced their steps as more men fell on both sides, at the vanguard the Warrior's Son's pushing forward, the fighting was now so compressed that Edmure could barely turn his blade for fear of hurting his own men. The Ironborn continued to charge them, fighting savagely as they tried to drag down the Rivermen from their steeds. Then as the men were nearing the village's edge an animalistic cry came from the right of them as a roaring wedge of Ironborn appeared from the sidestreets and punched into the tired Rivermen. The Kraken of Pyke finally showing himself as he led his men into the frenzied melee, his greataxe laying around him as he cut through the ranks of rivermen. Edmure tired and worn from the constant battle could only watch in resigned horror as the Ironborn began to swarm his men. Pockets of men becoming separated and then buried beneath the Ironborn. 

Edmure rallied his men gathering them in a tight circle as they staved off the manic charges of the Ironborn, about them grew great heaps of dead but still the onslaught continued. The Warrior's Son's becoming cut off from Edmure's company as the Ironborn pushed them apart. Then as all hope seemed lost, as the Ironborn wormed their way more and more into Edmure's company and the Warrior's Son's were overwhelmed the Blackfish emerged with his company and cut through to his nephew a path for escape, he and his men were free from the village at last, redressing their lines as they gathered in the fields before the village. The Ironborn gave chase and with the Blackfish's aid Edmure began a series of bloody retreats that cost the Ironborn more and more. Yet out of the two hundred men Edmure had led only sixty remained to him as night fell and the Ironborn melted away into the gathering river mist.

And as night fell at last a tired and worn out Edmure listened mutely as his uncle praised him for his skill. "You fought well today Edmure."  _Y_ _et many of my friends are now dead by my hands, war is not the glorious thing I thought it was._  That night they returned to Riverrun and while the others feasted and toasted over their 'victory' he stayed in his rooms shivering as he relived many he held as close friends be cut down before his eyes. That night for the first time since his father's death he cried himself to sleep.

  


\---------------

  


Margaery was excited, her sixteenth nameday was just a month away and her father was holding a grand tourney in honor of her. Apparently everyone was coming even Willas who she hadn't seen since he had left to squire for their good-uncle, Lord Leyton. She'd even been able to get her brother Garlan to swear he would fight at her tourney, she couldn't wait.  _Perhaps I shall meet my Florian._ All in all she couldn't wait to see all the chivalry of the Reach presented for her birthday.   


  


  


  


  


  


  


  


**Author's Note:**

> This is just an experiment, I hope you enjoyed it.


End file.
